PM Of St. Kitts Reveals Marginal Increase In Marine Fish Production

Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 3, 2021 (Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries & Marine Resources): Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Hon. Timothy Harris revealed that St. Kitts  recorded a marginal increase in fish production by 87 percent in the first quarter of 2021 in  comparison to the previous year. 

Dr. Harris made the announcement on Thursday June 3, when he hosted the Prime Minister’s  Monthly Press Conference at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)  conference room. He said more than 270 thousand pound of fish landings were recorded. 

“Overall Fish Landings over the period January to April 2021 totalled 275,000lbs valued at  $3,087,880. This represents an 87 percent increase from the prior year 2020 when fish  landings were 146,960lbs valued at $1,163,920. We are recording a near 3-fold increase in  dollar value of fish landings”, he stated. 

The Honourable Prime Minister also spoke about a 70 percent increase in coastal pelagic  which such as (Gar, Ballyhoo, and Jack). 

“Year on year January to April (2020 to 2021) reef and demersal fishery increased by 97  percent. Coastal pelagic fishery increased by 70 percent, ocean pelagic fishery decreased by 7 percent, conch fishery increased by 26 percent”. 

He said it was important to note that there has been a significant increase in the number of  registered fishers. The Prime Minister said the registration of fishers “stood at an all-time  high of 1,277 at the end of April 2021, up 102 fishers over April 2020”. 

Prime Minister Harris added that these commendable figures represent a fisheries sector on  the rise due in part to the “Government’s stimulus packages which assisted fishers with  fishing gear including fish pot wires, fish aggregate devices and many other supplies”.